Improvement in railway-switches



4rrEn STATES CARL NAUGKE, JR., or MAGDEBURG, GERMANY.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,606, dated January 20,1874; application tiled November 8, 1873.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CARL NAUGKE, Jr., of Magdeburg, Prussia, Germany, have invented a new and Improved Railroad-Switch, of which the following is a specification:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l rcpresents a plan viewof inyimproved safety railroad-switch with the covering casin g taken oii' to show the connection of parts below; and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection of the same on the line c c, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a switch mechanism, in connection with the common railroad-signal switch, by which the correct positionof the switch-rail maybe obtained by the locomotive-engineer, even if the switch is wrongly set by accident or mistake, permitting thereby a full control of the switches by theV same without slackening speed, and. increased safety against accidents arising from misplaced switches. My invention consists in providing the pivoted switch-rails with an attachment-plate, which connects by bell-crank levers with a link-shaped pivoted rod, operated and guided in such Vmanner that the attachment-plate and switch-rails are moved whenever a latch-connection of the link-shaped rod with a longitudinal lever-rod, which locks into the sliding switch-bar, is released by the action of an inclined lever `of the locomotive on the roller of a weighted crank of the locking-lever rod, so that the detaching of the same from J[he sliding bar is produced, and the switchrails are thereby carried into position for the n train.

In the drawing, A represents the rails of the main track; A', the side track, to which the outer rails of both the main and side tracks are connected. B are the pivoted switch-rails, which are placed between the outer rails, and form the communicating rails for main or side track, as required. The pointed ends of the switch-rails B are laterally connected by a fixed attachment plate or bar, C, which guides in a staple, a, the pivoted front end of the longitudinal lever-rod D, so that the forward-projecting tongue or pin b of the same locks into a perforation, b', of the switch-bar E, which is set in the usual manner by suitable lever-connections by the attendant, and provided with the customary signal devices, by which `the position of the switch may be ascertained.

My safety-switch is based on a system of signal-switches by which the engineer can recognize during the day and night the exact state of the switch.

For the purpose of enabling the locomotiveengineer to pass any switch at full speed without danger, even if the switch should be wrongly placed for the train, I provide a mechanism by which the locking-lever D may be disconnected from the switch-bar E, and also a sliding mechanism connected therewith, by which the switch-rails are brought automatically into correct position for the passage ofthe train. llhe detaching mechanism consists of the locking-lever D, which is arranged in longitudinal di ection between the rails of the main track, eXtnding to a distance of about three rail-lengths from. the switch, being guided in suitable staples on the cross-ties, if required, and attached with its pivoted rear part to the lower part of a weighted lever, F. Lever F is fulcrumed at d to a strong standard or supl port, F1, and provided at its shorter upper arm with a round crossA bar or roller, F2, of suitaraised at such a height above roller F2 that the engine may pass without striking the same; but whenever the switch requires changing the lever-rod Gis brought down by the engineer, pressing thereby roller F2 down, carrying lever D backward, and releasing thereby its front tongue from switch-barE. The roller F2 is placed at such height above the track that the train may freely pass without coming in contact with the same. The mechanism for sliding the switch-rails is operated simultaneously with the release of the locking-lever D by the action of a tongue or lug, e, which projects vertically i'rom the same, engaging the weighted latch f ofthe main rod H of the sliding mechanism. The main rod H passes over a base-plate, I, which is arranged near the pointed ends of the switch-rails B between the part Hl is alternately-thrown linto position to engage the bellcrank levers L. The guiderails i are arranged in the shape of an equi= lateral triangle, having the apex toward the switch-rails between the supporting-bolts g. The weighted latch f is pivoted to the side of rod H, and locks into a grooved s eat, f', of plate I. The ton gue e of lever D passes along its lower side, and raises it fromthe -seat'f when lever D is carried back. A metallic casing, l', is attached to -base-plate Land protects not only' the hellcrank levers :and-fthe connecting parts against the iniuencesl of the wea-ther and impurities, but secures also the regular working of the latch f andf main rod H, as it keeps them conlined in position for the regular performance lof their movements. The rear end of main rodv His pivoted `between the sh ort arms' Z of lever-rod M, which passes sidewise under main track A to a vertical standard, N, where it connects by arm 'Z1 and link Z2 with a weighted lever, 0. When -latch f is locked toiseat-f lever O is raised, but as soon as latch f is released by tongue e the lever O drops till arrest-ed by stop-pin m, carrying thereby main rod -H back, which engages with its link-head H one of the bell-crank levers L, and moves thereby the switch-rails from one track to the other. Switch-bar E is then locked again to tongue b of lever D, latch f reseated by raising weighted lever O, which brings the link-head H in position tov engage the other bell-crank lever' L,- and the switch mechanism lis ready for action. The mechanismiis only thrown vinto operation when the switch is wrongly set' for the'train, in Iwhich case the engineer, by pressing the inclined 'lever down, strikes the roller, unlocks the connecting le-y ver-rod and thereby the'sliding mechanism, carrying the switch-rails instantly into position for the train before the'locomotive-wheels reachv the switch-rails.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentv l. The combination of sliding switch-bar E with lever D, provided with tongue b at front end, and pivoted to weighted lever F with top roller F2, for releasing the switchLr-ails, as speci; fled.

2. The pivoted switch-rails B connected by attachmentplate C, incombination with bell= crank levers L, link-shaped head H', main head H, lever-rod M, and weighted lever 0, arranged in the manner described,for sliding the switch rails Bfrom one track to the other, as specified.

3. The combinationof lever-rod D having sidewise-projecting `tongue,lin combination with weighted latch/f of main 4rod M, to-.prodnce the simultaneous action of the sliding and locking mechanisms, as setforth.

4. The combination of-weighted latchv j' and main rod'H, with seat f" andv casing l?, to secure the resetting and ei'ective-workiirgof the sliding mechanism, `as described.

5. rlhe4 link shaped head Hf: of .main rod H having downward-proiectin g 'tong-ne i, in combination with triangular guidefpieces if of plate I, for securing the alternate. action` of the 4link-shaped head H" and levers 'L,vsubstan tially as specified.

6. Theattachment of plate C ofswitcll-rails B, provided with recesses h for thev connecting-arms of bell-crank levers L, asdescribed.

7. A common signal-switch, arranged with the sliding and locking mechanisms described,

in combination with the inclined lever of the Y l signed by me this 12th day of August, 1873.

" CARL "NACKE, UR.

-VVitnesses HERMANN KRIESMANN, ALEXANDER LANGE. 

